Signed out

Noise (2LP) ~ Vinyl ~ Boris

$34.99

BORIS has always demolished expectations of what a band can do musically and
aesthetically. In keeping with that tradition, they again flip the script for
the band’s first official release in three years by serving up their most
all-encompassing effort to date. Noise is an amplification of BORIS’ endless
pursuit of musical extremes while moving aggressive, intense rock into new
territories.
In writing Noise, BORIS was intent upon condensing all that the band had
explored over the years, in order to create something more bold, streamlined and
powerful. And, upon completion, the band considers Noise its most defining
effort, stating, “If we had to suggest just one album for those unfamiliar
with BORIS’ music, we will pick this for sure.” That’s a bold statement
from a band having released over 20 albums covering a vast array of sounds. Yet
somehow throughout the album’s 8 song, 58 minute duration, the band
masterfully intermingles sludge-rock, blistering crust punk, shimmering
shoegaze, epic thunderous doom, psychedelic melodies and just about everything
else they’ve ever done.
Over the course of BORIS’ three previous Sargent House albums (Heavy Rocks,
Attention Please and New Album) the band sought to expand its musical vision
ever further. And, the results helped redefine the band’s already
iconoclastic sound.
However, in early 2013 they decided to return to their classic trio lineup
moving forward: drummer/vocalist Atsuo, guitarist/vocalist Wata and
bassist/guita­rist/vocalist Takeshi. Having been able to explore many new ideas
as a quartet in recent years, the band was concerned about logistics, until
their very successful residency shows and tour in the U.S. convinced them that
BORIS could return to the simpler, solid trio without sacrificing artistic
growth. Now, having rebuilt the classic trio’s “equilateral triangle”
they’re heavier, louder, more confident and incisive than ever before.
Noise is also lyrically the band’s darkest album to date. Bleak lines
like, “throbbing pain this world repeats upon us/ Throb, throb / Throbbing
pain, this world makes us suffer,” guide the record’s most musically upbeat
track, “Taiyo No Baka.” Everywhere else, dark imagery permeates the songs,
adding further weight to the proceedings. Kicking off with the fittingly titled
“Melody”, the album begins with the uniquely BORIS sound that combines
multiple elements into one ferocious metallicpunk- melodic whole. Things take a
jagged turn with second track “Vanilla” exhibiting a more experimental edge,
while still driven by vocal melody and arpeggiated guitar notes until the song
juts into frenzied psychedelic metal riffing. Elsewhere, with Wata on lead
vocals, “Heavy Rain” merges the band’s early colossal doom with the
latter day shoegaze of Attention Please for a song that’s both brutally heavy
and ethereal. “Quicksilver” is a wailing speedcore track reminiscent of
classic Japanese hardcore, with screaming voices, screaming guitars and
screaming drums that refuses to relent over the song’s first 7 minutes.
“Angel” is the album’s nearly 19-minute epic centerpiece that builds from
entrancing chiming guitar notes and softly pulsing toms, ultimately breaking
into a massive wall of drop-tuned sludge and a howling guitar lead reminiscent
of BORIS tracks “Feedbacker” and “Flood.” The song continues to shift
gears several times as it builds in tension and emotion toward a very satisfying
resolution, taking the entire track full circle to where it began. Throughout,
Noise is an exploration of the freespirited experimentation that made the band
an International cult legend.
Double vinyl + DL
Track Listing:
Side A:
Melody
Vanilla
Ghost of Romance
Heavy Rain
Side B:
Taiyo no Baka
Angel
Quicksilver
Siesta